Remotely controlled sick bed curtains



May 28, 1963 M. P. MADSEN REMOTELY CONTROLLED SICK BED CURTAINS FiledAug. 8, 1962 FIG. 2

I l//l /IH/ 64 FIG. l

INVENTOR.' MADS P. MADSEN "515% 722 @uw A T TORNEY FIG.7

United States Patent 3,091,286 REMOTELY CONTROLLED SICK BED CURTAINSMads P. Madsen, Brewster, Putnam County, N.Y. Filed Aug. 8, 1962, Ser.No. 215,649` 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-331) This invention relates, in general,to new and useful improvements which are used in connection with sickbeds in private homes or in hospitals, and, more particularly, thisinvention relates to a remotely controlled sick bed curtain.

Hospital beds, particularly in hospitals, are generally surrounded orenclosed by curtains which may be drawn when privacy is wanted orexaminations of the patient are to be performed by doctors. The curtainswhich are now used about sick beds in hospitals can only be drawn closedor opened by nurses or another person, not the patient, who can walkfreely about the sick bed.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to enable a patient who isconfined to his sick bed to open or close a curtain adapted to surroundhis bed without the patient having to summon aid or even move in hisbed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sick bed curtainwhich may be activated to be opened or closed by the patientsmanipulation of a switch or but-V ton situated upon his bed or anadjacent night table within easy reach.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus whichenables a bedridden patient to control his en- Vironment to the extentof opening and closing his sick bed curtain so that the patients moraleis given a lift in that one area, in which he was heretofore helpless,is now placed under his control.

Many other objects, advantages and features of invention reside in theparticular construction, arrangement and combination of parts involvedin the embodiment of this invention and its practice otherwise as willbe understood from the following description and accompanying drawingwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the bed curtain of my invention shown attachedto a hospital bed;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view showing the foot of a hospital bed withthe bed curtain of my invention attached to it with the bed curtain inthe open position;

FIGURES is a longitudinal vertical section through the center vof theleading edge curtain drawing element;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section looking inward through a fragment of thecurtain track support frame showing a fragment of the curtain track withthe drive cord moving the leading edge curtain drive element along thecurtain track with a fragment of the leading edge of a curtain shownsupported from the leading edge curtain drive element;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical section through the curtain tracksupport frame, the curtain track, and a drive cord showing a fragment ofa curtain suspended from a curtain support element;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of a broken away corner of the curtain tracksupport frame with a top portion of the curtain track support framecorner broken away to show the arrangement of the drive cord pulleys;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through a fragment of thecurtain track support frame showing a fragment of the curtain track anda curtain support element mounted on the curtain track with a fragmentof the curtain supported by the curtain support element; and

FIGURE 8 is a transverse vertical section through a fragment of thecorner of the curtain track support frame.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURES 1 and 2 show a conventionalhospital type bed 10 having a metal 3,091,286 Patented May 28, 1963 riceheadboard 11 and a footboard 12. By means of suitable clamps 13 twovertical support elements 14 are fixed to extend vertically upward fromthe footboard 12. Similar vertical support elements 15 are iixed toextend upward from the headboard 11. A generally rectangular curtaintrack support frame 20 is supported above and about the bed 10 by thebrackets 21 and 22 which extend outward from the tops of the verticalsupport elements 14 and by the vertical support elements 15 which aredirectly attached to the curtain track support frame 20. Since the headof the bed 10 is generally against a wall; the rectangular curtain tracksupport frame 20 extends only slightly behind the headboard 11 while itextends for a considerable distance past the footboard 12. This allowsan examining physician or other visitor to move about the sick bed 10with complete privacy within the curtain when it is closed.

Between the corners 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the support; frame 20, thereextends the straight channel shaped. members 28. As shown in FIGURE 5,curtain track support brackets 29 are xed to the top wall of the channelmembers 28 and secure the top flange 31 of the curtain track 30.

Curtain support elements 32 each have two upwardly extending sideportions 33 which carry the nylon rollers 34 that ride on the lowerflange 35 of curtain track 30. A suitable hook 36 hangs from eachcurtain support element. The bed curtain 40 is supported by its upperedge at short regular intervals by a number of the curtain supportelements 32.

The corners 25 and 26 have rounded cover plates 42 and 43 xed over them.The cover plates 44 and 45 are fixed over the corners 24 and 27 and theymay be square for aesthetic reasons if the headboard 11 is placedadjacent to a wall.

The curtain track 30 is formed from one piece of extruded material whichstarts at corner 27 and is bent about corners 24 and 25 and corner 26 ina -smooth curve. Curved outer walls 50, as shown in FIGURE 6, are xedbelow the cover plates 42, 43, 44 and 45 between the ends of the channelmembers 28.

The leading edge 51 of the curtain 40, as shown in FIGURE 2, is securedto the track 30 by means of a leading edge curtain drive element. Asshown in FIG- URES 3 and 4, this leading edge curtain drive element 52consists of two curtain support elements 32 which are pivotally joinedto a solid link 53. A single clamping member 54 containing a centralaperture urged upward toward link 53 when the screws 55 are tightl-ned.

Referring again to FIGURE l, the dotted line 57 indicates the path of alength of drive cord 58 which extends completely about the curtain tracksupport frame. The ends of the cord 58 pass under the link 53 andthrough the aperture in member 54. Thus the screws 5S may be tightenedto clamp the ends of cord 58 to the leading edge curtain drive element52. The element 52 negotiates the curved portion of track 30 with theelements 32 pivoting as do the trucks of a railway carriage.

Referring further to FIGURE 1, three or more pulleys 60 are rotatablymounted within the corners 24, 25 and 26. As shown in FIGURES 6 and 8,the pulleys 60 support the drive cord 58 at about the level of thecurtain support elements 32 and the drive element 52 which slide alongthe curtain track 30.

Referring further to FIGURE l, corner 27 has two idler pulleys 61 and acentrally located drive pulley 62. Pulley 62 is mounted on a verticalshaft 63 which extends downward to a suitable gearhead electric motor 64which is mounted below corner 45. As shown in FIGURE l, an electric wire65 leads from motor 64 to a control box 66.

This invention operates in the following manner. The

curtain 40 is gathered beneath the channel` member 67 above theheadboard 11 ofthe bed 10 in the open position. The curtain in this openposition is shown in FIGURE 2. Thezleading edge 51' of the curtain `40issupportedby a.k leading edge rcurtain drive lelement 52 .which is xed totheV drive fcord 58 in the manner which has been described. The gearheadmotor 64',4 which drives Ipulley62may `be activated to .rotate in-either direction .by thev control box 6 6. The box 66 may have two.buttons, one to open and one to. close the curtain 40, or it, mayv havea double throw reversing switch. Thuslthemanipulation ofcontrol box 66activates motor 64 to ldrive the drive cord 58 in either direction. Ifpulley;v 62-.moves the `drive cord 58-'counter clockwise as shown inFIGURE .1, Athe drivecord will .draw the leading edge ofthe'curtain 40about the curtain track support frame 2,0 alongthe track 30. In thismanner, the bed 10-'may beA-completely'enclosed givingthe bedridden`paitientprivacy. By reversing the motor 64, the curtain 40 may beopened.

In order to have the curtain 40"negotiate the corners 24, and 26 withoutbinding,l the curtain support elements 32 must. be.v disposed along thetop of cuntain.40 so that, preferably, at least three curtain supportmembers 32 are disposed,` on each curved portionof. track 30; Thisparticular construction enables the curtain to be smoothly drawncompletely aboutv the curtain support frame-20.

However, in drawing the curtain closed, the curtain support membersl 32Ynegotiating the curved portions of track 'will tend to be ldrawn inwardtoward thevcenter of the curve. Any binding motionwhichmight then resultmay be mitigated if, as shown in FIGURE 8, the pulleysv60fare placedsothatthe drive cordY 58i is vin-close proximity tothe vinner sides of the.elements 32. In such a-case, should'the bottom ofthe curtainsupportelements 32 cock inward to any extent, the drive cord 58 will assistthem about the curved portions of the track-30.

Whilel have disclosed my invention in the best form knownV to-me, itwill nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplaryand thatmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention except as itzmay be morelimitedzin the-appended claims whereinI claim:

1. A remotely 'controlledr bed curtain for 'sick beds comprising,Vv incombination, a generally-rectangular curtaintracksupportzframe:havingfrounded corners, meanssupporting'said'curtaintrack support frame above a sick bed, acurtain1trackhaving a lower ange disposedcompletelyl about. ande hangingfrom said `curtain track sup- ,port frame a curtain having a top.portion and a leading edge, curtain support elements lixed at regularintervals along the top portion of said curtain, said curtain supe' portelements having members extend upward on either side of the lower flangeof said curtain track and having rollers rotatably mounted inside theupward extending members riding on the lower ilange of said curtaintrack, a leading edge curtain drive element slidably mounted on saidtrack and attached to the upper portion of the leading edge `of saidVcurtain, outwardly facing*4V pulleysl disposed at -the corners -of saidcurtain track support frame, an endlessdrive cord, saidpulleysgsupporting said drive cord at about the height ofsaidfcurtainsupport elements and said leading edge curtain driveelement, said endless drive cordl beingxed to said leadinggedge-Acurtain drive element, a-.drive pulley engaging said endless drive cord,a reversing electric motor driving said-drive pulley, and a remotelysituated'switch activatingsaid,` reversing-electric motor in eitherdirection, saidI driveA pulley moving said endless drive cord*` about`said curtain track support frame drawing said leading edge curtainydrive element about said track openingandclosing said curtain.

2. Thecombination according to claim 1 wherein rsaid leading edgecurtaindrive element comprises two of said curtain support elements, asolid member pivotally securedA between saidk two curtain supportelements, a clamping member disposed below said solidmember, saidclamping member containing an. aperture,l kand screw means drawing saidclamping member toward-said solid member, the ends of said drive cordbeingk joined and secured by being passed between said solid'member and.said clamping member with the ends of` said drive cord extending throughthe aperture in said clamping member, said screw means clamping the endsof said cord between saidsolid member and said clamping. member.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said pulleys supportsaid endless drive cord close tothe inner. surfaces of said curtainsupport elements.

Referencesv Citedin the le -of this patent UNITED STATES 'PATENTS1,697,027 Stevenson Jan. 1, 1929 1,904,588 Weinberg .Y Apr. 18, 193.32,222,229 Kahler Nov. 19, 1940 2,920,696 Mitchell et al. Ian. 12, 1960.FOREIGN PATENTS 131,600 Australia Mar. 3`, 1949 1,166,968 France Nov.1:8,A 1958` 864,183 GreatBritain Mar. 29, 1961

1. A REMOTELY CONTROLLED BED CURTAIN FOR SICK BEDS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CURTAIN TRACK SUPPORT FRAME HAVING ROUNDED CORNERS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CURTAIN TRACK SUPPORT FRAME ABOVE A SICK BED, A CURTAIN TRACK HAVING A LOWER FLANGE DISPOSED COMPLETELY ABOUT AND HANGING FROM SAID CURTAIN TRACK SUPPORT FRAME, A CURTAIN HAVING A TOP PORTION AND A LEADING EDGE, CURTAIN SUPPORT ELEMENTS FIXED AT REFULAR INTERVALS ALONG THE TOP PORTION OF SAID CURTAIN, SAID CURTAIN SUPPORT ELEMENTS HAVING MEMBERS EXTEND UPWARD ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LOWER FLANGE OF SAID CURTAIN TRACK AND HAVING ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED INSIDE THE UPWARD EXTENDING MEMBERS RIDING ON THE LOWER FLANGE OF SAID CURTAIN TRACK, A LEADING EDGE CURTAIN DRIVE ELEMENT SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK AND ATTACHED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE LEADING EDGE OF SAID CURTAIN, OUTWARDLY FACING PULLEYS DISPOSED AT THE CORNERS OF SAID CURTAIN TRACK SUPPORT FRAME, AN ENDLESS DRIVE CORD, SAID PULLEY SUPPORTING SAID DRIVE CORD AT ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF SAID CURTAIN SUPPORT ELEMENTS AND SAID LEADING EDGE CURTAIN DRIVE ELEMENT, SAID ENDLESS DRIVE CORD BEING FIXED TO SAID LEADING EDGE CURTAIN DRIVE ELEMENT, A DRIVE PULLEY ENGAGING SAID ENDLESS DRIVE CORD, A REVERSING ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVING SAID DRIVE PULLEY, AND REMOTELY SITUATED SWITCH ACTIVATING SAID REVERSING ELECTRIC MOTOR IN EITHER DIRECTION, SAID DRIVE PULLEY MOVING SAID ENDLESS DRIVE CORD ABOUT SAID CURTAIN TRACK SUPORT FRAME DRAWING SAID LEADING EDGE CURTAIN DRIVE ELEMENT ABOUT SAID TRACK OPENING AND CLOSING SAID CURTAIN. 